Sakhalin Region established as part of Priamurye Governorate-General

On June 17 (30), 1909 Sakhalin Region with its center in Alexandrovsky Post was established as part of Priamurye (Amur Territory) Governorate-General.

The defeat of Russia in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905 strengthened the position of Japan in the region and Russia expressed concern over it. Before the treaty on the division of the island was signed, the Japanese had also controlled the north of the island, thus causing an outflow of population. The almost deserted island was still of great strategic importance to the country, but it also posed a big problem to Russia, as it fell into a state of decay. Many houses and entire villages were abandoned. By contrast, the south of Sakhalin was actively settled and developed economically by Japan. In view of changes in the socio-economic life of the island, which followed the end of the war and the abolition of penal labour (‘katorga’), the authorities had to set completely different goals and objectives concerning the settlement and development of the island. The change in the foreign policy demanded urgent measures on protection of borders and economic interests on the part of the Russian authorities. Priamurye Governor-General P. F. Unterberger believed that "... we had to establish an independent governing body that would reliably protect Russian local interests and prevent the introduction of foreign influence".

In September 1905, A. M. Valuyev, who would raise an issue of new administrative borders and the renaming of the island, was appointed as military governor of the island. The future fate of Sakhalin provoked discussion. The lack of a clear priority in further economic development and ideas about the place and role of the island in the Russian state, skepticism about its potential systematically led to the idea of ​​joining Sakhalin to a particular area. On June 3 (16), 1908, the Council of Ministers considered issues concerning the administrative structure of Primorye Region and Sakhalin Island. In October the Department of General Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs submitted a draft law to the III State Duma on the administrative restructuring of the above-mentioned territories. The draft law was passed and finally approved in June 1909. By the Law "On the Administrative Restructuring of Primorye Region and Sakhalin Island" of June 17 (30), 1909 "the part of Sakhalin Island under the control of Russia” formed separate Sakhalin Region with the center in Alexandrovsky Post. It was divided into two districts - Alexandrovsky and Tymovsky with a total area of 33.400 square versts. The head of the district was appointed within the police ranks and performed the functions of “all institutions that existed in normally organized regions”. In Alexandrovsky there was a military governor’s office, the Alexandrovsky local government, an office of a mining engineer of the Sakhalin mining district and a prosecutor’s office, a magistrate’s office, a regional deanery, a treasury department, a post and telegraph office, the military, the Jonquière lighthouse, the Voluntary Fleet department, and several shops. The population of the post did not exceed 2,000 people. On February 26 (March 11), 1914 Udsky District of Primorye Region and the city of Nikolayevsk became part of Sakhalin Region.The region covered the area of more than 3 million dessiatins (archaic land measurement). This administrative structure existed until the February Revolution. In April 1917, by the decree of the Provisional Government, Nikolayevsk-on-Amur was declared the regional center, and all regional institutions were moved there in July. Alexandrovsky Post was transformed into a city - the center of Sakhalin District. The regional authorities on the island were represented by the Sakhalin Governor’s office, headed by Vice-Governor F. F. Bunge.

Lit.: Административно-территориальное деление Сахалинской области : док. и материалы. Южно-Сахалинск, 1986. С. 112; Гридяева М. В. В поисках новых административных границ Сахалина: идеи и проекты // Остров Сахалин во второй половине XIX – начале XX века: административное устройство и управление. Южно-Сахалинск, 2008. С. 64–74 (68); Елизарьев В. Н. История Сахалина и Курильских островов в российско-японских отношениях. Южно-Сахалинск, 2006. С. 277; Костанов А. Освоение Сахалина русскими людьми. Южно-Сахалинск, 1991. С. 55–56.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Sakhalin Region: Pages of History: [digital collection];

P. A. Stolypin. General Unterberger’s opinion about the current state of the Far East. [19--].

The materials were provided by the Sakhalin Regional Universal Research Library